Electric clock



ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed April 27, 1956 I ll".

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 RNVENTOR Ma a, I

3 ATTORNEYS Aug. 23, 1938.

' l. WARSHAWSKY ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed April 27, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIjVENTOR T ME L;

TORNEYJ k Aug. 23, 1938. l; WARSHAWSKY 2,127,635

ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed April 27, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 23, 1938. WARSl -lAWSK Y ELECTRIC CLOCK Filed April 27, 1936 4 Sheets Sheet 4 INVENTOR iatented Aug. 23, 1938 entree Farrier caries ELIEE'ERIC omen iyn, N. Y.

Appiication April 27, 1936, @eriai No. 6,523

3 (Claims.

The present invention relates to striking electric clocks and more particularly to a novel and improved striking electric clock in which the time train is also used for the direct actuation of the striking mechanism.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, construction, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, with the hands and dial removed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the parts in striking, rather than silent, position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig.4;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the clock;

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are detailed perspective views of different parts of the mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed front view of a different form' of gathering pallet and pallet disc.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved electric striking clock. A further object is the provision of such a clock which is reliable in operation, simple in construction and economical to manufacture. Another object is'the provision of an electric striking clock in which no separate striking train is employed and the striking mechanism is directly actuated by the synchronous motor time train. Still another object is the provision of a striking clock in which a rack for controning the striking mechanism is returned to its normal position by or under control of a constantly rotating part of the time-keeping mechanism.

As embodied, the time-keeping mechanism comprises a synchronous motor HI, secured to the rear plate il of the movement, which has an arbor i2, revolving in a clockwise direction at 180 R. P. M., which projects through an aperture in the rear plate. At its extreme forward end arbor i2 carries a driving pinion l3 meshing with and driving a gear wheel 14, which also acts as the pallet-wheei of a rack-striking means (later described), which revolves at 30 R. P. M. in a counter-clockwise direction. This gear wheel i4 is staked upon an arbor i5, j ournaled in the plates M and iii of the movement.

The arbor 95 carries near its front end a pinion il meshing with and driving a gear-wheel it which is driven at 3- R. P. M. in a clockwise direction. This gear wheel i8 is staked upon an arbor i9 journaled in the plates of the movement. Staked upon the arbor ii! a little behind earwheel I8, is the hammer-actuating wheel 20, which revolves at the same number of revolutions as gear-wheel l8. Arbor I9 also carries near its extreme rear end a gear-wheel 2 I, meshing with and driving an identical gear-wheel 22,

which revolves in a counter-clockwise direction at 3 R. P. M., and is rotatably mounted on stud 23 extending forwardly from the rear plate ii of the movement. Gear-wheel 22 meshes with and drives gear-wheel 24 which is the seconds-wheel, at 1 R. P. M. in a clockwise direction. Gearwheel 24 is staked upon a seconds-arbor 25, near its rear end. The seconds-arbor 25 extends from front to rear centrally through the movement, and may carry at its extreme forward end a seconds pointer 26.

Staked upon the seconds-arbor 25 near its mid-portion, is a pinion 21 which meshes with and drives a gear-wheel 28 at 10 R. P. H. in a counter-clockwise direction. Gear-wheel 28 is staked upon. an arbor 29 which is journaled in the plates of the movement. staked upon the arbor 29 near its front end is a pinion 30 meshing with and driving the minute-wheel 3| 'at l R. P. H. in a clockwise direction. This minute-wheel 3| is mounted upon the extreme rear end of a minute sleeve 32 through which the seconds-arbor 25 extends. The minute-wheel 3| is frictionally coupled to the minute-sleeve 32 to drive the latter through a friction washer 34 staked upon the rear end of the sleeve 32 and against which the said minute-wheel Eli is pressed for frictional engagement by a spring washer 33 staked upon the minute-sleeve 32. At its forward end, extending through the front plate, the minutesleeve 32 carries the minute-hand 35. staked upon the minute-sleeve 32, somewhat forward of the minute-sleeve washer 36, is a minute-pinion 31, meshing with and driving a dial-wheel 38 carrying a dial-pinion 39 which is mounted together with it upona stud 40 forwardly projecting from the front plate it of the movement in the usual manner of clock-dial-work. The dial P 11 911 38 meshes with and drives an hour wheel II staked upon an hour-sleeve 52, sleeved over and rotating freely upon the minute-sleeve 22, in front of the minute-pinion 31. At its forward end, the hour sleeve 42 carries the hour hand 44'.

Staked upon the minute sleeve "directly behind the minute pinion 21 is a minute disc 52 larger in diameter than the minute pinion 31. Projecting rearwardly from the minute disc 52, is a pin 50, for setting the striking mechanism in motion at the hour.

The minute sleeve 32 is held in its proper position on the seconds arbor 25, by a washer 50 staked upon the minute sleeve 32 just behindthe front plate and a washer 35 staked upon the minute sleeve 32 just forward of the front plate I6, allowing the minute sleeve 22 just a little axial p y- Figure 1 shows the striking mechanism at rest, or when it is not striking the hour. Most of the parts shown are arranged between the front plate and the dial and are hidden from view by the dial 55.

Gear wheel I5 acts as the pallet wheel of a rack-striking train, and carries on its arbor, extending through the front plate, a modified gathering pallet BI. This modified gathering pallet 6| rotates freely on its arbor, and immediately behind it is a pallet disc 52, staked upon the arbor. The pallet disc 02 carries a straight light spring 53, attached by means of a screw 54. This tension spring 53 operatively bears against the gathering pallet pin 55 on the gathering pallet BI, and since the pallet disc 52 is constantly rotating, the tension spring 55 forces the gathering pallet 5| to rotate with it. A small washer 55 staked upon the arbor in front of the gathering pallet 6| prevents it from coming oi! the arbor.

The snail 10 is fixed upon the hour sleeve 42 in front of the hour wheel ll, and revolves once in twelve hours.

Rack I5 is oscillatably supported on a stud I5 extending forwardly from the front plate, and is provided with an extension piece I1, resting upon the hook I0 of the rack hook I0.

The rack hook I9 is oscillatable on a stud l0 projecting forwardly from the front plate I0, and by,means of the spring 5|, the rack hook 15 is forced upwards against its stop pin 52 extending forwardly from the front plate, thus lifting the rack I5 out of engagement with the gathering pallet pin 55. A pin extending forwardly from the front plate limits the upward movement of the rack I5.

At the lower end of rack 15 is provided an extra tooth I5 which is engaged by the hook I0, but is short enough not to be engaged by the pin 55 as are the other and longer teeth.. This short tooth I5 prevents the hook I8 slipping off the rack be fore the last stroke and thereby producing a false number of strokes.

The hammer arm carrying the hammer head BI is rigidly attached to the rear prolongation of an arbor 92, journaled in the plates II and I5 and extending therethrough, and its purpose is to strike the gong 94 which is suitably mounted. The lever arm shaped as shown, is rigidly attached to the front prolongation'of arbor 02 and the extreme upper end of lever arm 85 rests upon pin 95, extending forwardly from the upper part of rack 15. Lever arm 95 is rigidly attached to arbor 92, between the plates of the movement, and engages the teeth of the hammer-actuating wheel 20. when lever arm 55 rests upon pin 05, lever arm 90 is raised out of contact withliammer actuating wheel 20.

Stop pin I00, projecting forwardly from the front plate of the movement, above lever arm 95, limits upper movement of lever arms 95, 50 and 95 attached to arbor 92.

The warning lever IOI, whose purpose it is to start the striking exactly at the hour, revolves about the stud I02 extending forwardly from the front plate. Pivoted on the front side of the warning lever IOI by pin I03 is an extension piece I05, shaped as shown having a hooked portion I05, against which the upper end of spring I01 presses. Spring I01 is wound once about a recessed portion of the tube I08, attached to the warning lever IIII, where it is fitted over its stud I02, and is wound several times about a screw I08, to fasten its end. The extension piece I05 also has a downwardly projecting stop finger IIO, bearing against the warning lever IN. The spring I01 pressing against the hooked portion I05 of the extension piece I05 forces the downwardly projecting finger IIO to bear against the warning lever IOI to force the lever to its position of rest against stop pin III, projecting forwardly from the front plate.

The rear side of the warning lever IOI lies against the minute-sleeve washer 25, and the front side of the warning lever IOI lies behind the minute disc 52.

Pin 50 extending rearwardly from the minute disc 52, runs clear of the warning lever IIII but bears against the extension piece I05, when in the course of its revolution in a clockwise direction it reaches extension piece I05, thus forcing the warning lever IN to the left only very shortly before the hour.

The warning lever IOI has also a projecting finger I22, the purpose of which is to force the rack hook I0 downwardly and to the left, shortly before the hour, as will presently be explained.

The top end of the warning lever IN is formed as a curved projection piece in which a pin I24 is mounted.

All the wheels of the clock are constantly rotating, whether the clock is striking or not, as the single train serves not only as the striking train but also as the time train. 7

The operation of the striking mechanism may be described as follows:

As the hands approach the hour, the pin 50 in the minute disc 52 forces the extension piece Ill, and thereby the warning lever IN, to the left. This causes the projecting finger I 22 of the warning lever IN to force the rack hook I0 downward, against the action of its torsion spring II, also causing the rack I5 to drop slowly.

At the same time that the warning lever Ill is forced to the left, its upper projecting pin I24 engages the upper end of lever arm 05, and prevents it from dropping with the rack I5.

As the rack I5 slowly drops its lowest full tooth crosses the path of the gathering pallet pin 55, which after reaching its lowest position on the gathering pallet 5| now begins its rotation upwardly. If thegathering pallet pin 05 engages the tip of the lowest full tooth of the rack, its

' rotation is momentarily stopped, but the flexible tension spring 52 on the rotating pallet disc 02, bearing against the gathering pallet pin 55 turns about it, until it reaches a position to the right of the gathering pallet pin 55, and forces it to the left, out of contact with the tip of the lowest full rack tooth allowing the further rotation of the gathering pallet 5| If the gathering pallet 5| were staked upon its arbor, and the gathering pallet pin 55 engaged the till til

oneness tip oi the lowest full rack tooth, the clock would stop running, as the gathering pallet pin 65 would not be able to travel past the tip of the lowest full rack tooth.

Usually the gathering pallet pin 65 does not engage the tip oi the lowest full rack tooth, but slips past it, no compensating movement of the tension spring 63 being necessary. I

The possibility or the gathering pallet pin 65 engaging the tips of the other rack teeth is very remote, since these teeth cross the path of the gathering pallet pin 65 quickly, but if it should occur it is taken care of by the compensating movement of the tension spring 63.

As the rack hook is is forced lower and lower, its hook it slips from underneath the extension piece ll of the rack I5 and then from underneath the lowest lull rack tooth, and the rack it drops until the rack feeler H30 falls upon one of the steps of the snail Id.

The constantly rotating gathering pallet pin 65, on its travel toward the rack teeth, engages one of the teeth of the rack 15 (depending upon which step of the snail the rack feeler 536 has fallen); lifting the rack for a distance of one tooth, but on its travel away from the rack teeth, the rack feeler are again drops upon the snail it. The rack is not raised upwardly tooth by tooth, because the hook it of the rack hook it has been forced a short distance to the left of the rack teeth (and thus out of contact with them) by the projecting finger 122 of the warning lever illl. This continues for a minute or so (depending on speed of operation or the parts), until exactly at the hour, the pin till in the minute disc at passes the tip of the extension piece lilil, allowing the warning lever ill to he suddenly forced back towards its position of against stop pin ill, by means oi spring lot. this causes the upper pin 12d of warning lever ill to move out of supporting contact with the top part of lever arm allowing the lever arrn to drop, until lever arni till makes contact with the teeth of the hammer-actuating wheel 2d. Th clr hook l9, under the iorce of its torsion out contact with the lever arm causing this lever arm to fall towards the next lower tooth oi the wheel, thus causing the hammerhead ill to strike the going 96. A pin M9, radially mounted in stud Q52 in front of plate it has an inwardly turned end flf lil protecting through a slot 52H in the plate to limit the movement of hammer arrn just before the head ill strikes the gong he. The elasticity of arm till provides the proper striking action. I 7

in order to secure this synchronisni between rise of the rack of one tooth and striking oi the gong, on each revolution oi the gathering pallet pin tooth oi the hammer-actuating wheel it passes by the lever arm as. Since the pallet wheel it makes 3t R. P. M. and the hammer-actuating Zvhggilil makes 3 R. P. the latter wheel has ill After the lowest full tooth or the slowly rising rack i it has been engaged by the hook iii, the hook slips under the extension piece 'i'i oi the rack l5, and under the force of its torsion spring ti the rack hook ill jumps upward until it strikes against its stop pin 82, lifting the rack 15 to its position of rest out of engagement with the gathering pallet pin 65. At the same time, the pin 96 on the upper part of the rack l5 raises the top part of lever arm 95, so that lever arm W is raised above and out of contact with the teeth of the hammer-actuating wheel 20, thus preventing further striking of the gong 94 by the hammer-arm 9t.

It is apparent, therefore, that the gong is struck once for each full tooth that the rack is raised, and the strokes are controlled in number by the snail Hi. If it is four o'clock the gong is struck four times, if it is ten o'clock, the gong is struck ten times, etc.

It has been stated above that for a minute or so before striking of the hour occurs, the rack 15 is alternately lifted from and dropped upon the snail ill, for 'a distance of one tooth, by the rotating gathering pallet pin 65. Exactly at the hour, the rack hook ill moves to the right and engages the rack teeth. It is apparent that if the rack hook engages the rack teeth when the rack happens to be raised one tooth above the snail, the rack hook will engage one tooth less, than if it engaged the rack teeth when the rack were resting on the snail. This would cause inaccuracies in striking the hour.

To assure correct striking, it is necessary that the rack hook it engage the rack teeth when the rack is resting on the snail "it. The rack hook must therefore engage the rack teeth when the gathering pallet pin til is not engaging the rack teeth. For this purpose there is provided a lever ltd shaped as shown in Figs. l and 2, pivoted at Mill, on the front side or the warning lever Hill, with its stops M32 and M3 forwardly projecting from the warning lever HM, and a pin Mil torwardly projecting from the front plate, slightly above the pallet disc A light spring (1 3% serves to press the lever ilii downwardly against stop M2. When the striking mechanism is at rest, as shown in Figure l, lever lit bears against its stop i622.

Shortly before the hour, when the warning lever J ll is forced to the left, face MS of lever Mt finally reaches pin i 15 and slides upon it until the curved nose is reached. and then face M6 of lever ME) is reached. Face 9% is then reached, and finally race till, a slight distance to the right of lace Still, when the warning lever Hill has forced the rack hook F9 to its extreme left position.

The lever Mill is now between the rack hook l9 and the pallet disc 62 as shown in 2. A pin 653 extends forwardly from the pallet disc and is located near its rim, some distance behind the free end of the tension spring 63, in reference to the direction of rotation of the pallet disc @2.

The constantly rotating pallet disc pin its during a part or its circular path now bears against lace Mil and forces lever Mil slightly upward, once every revolution.

Exactly at the hour, the warning lever ml moves to the right, carrying lever Mil with it, allowing the rack hook it to move toward the right on its way to engage the rack teeth. Face lb! of lever Md slides upon pin, I45 until face IBil strikes pin 5 and cannot move past it, thus holding the warning lever HM against movement to the right, and the rack hook E9 in its move ment to the right, before it has engaged the rack teeth. Face ifit cannot move past pin I45, until the pallet disc pin B53 in the course of its revolution, reaches face Mt of lever I40 and raises the lever slightly upwardly, so that face I50 slides above pin M5. Face Md and the curved nose of lever I40 slide upon and past pin 5 as the till warning lever Il moves to the right until it reaches its stop-pin I I I, carrying lever I40 with it;

This allows the rack hook I0 to engage the rack teeth and the rack is lifted, tooth by tooth, as already described above.

The operation of lever I40 insures that the rack hook 10 engages the rack teeth when the rack 15 is resting upon the snail 10, because at the moment when the pallet disc pin I53 reaches face I40 of lever I40 to release the lever, the gathering pallet pin 65 is out of engagement with the rack teeth, and therefore cannot raise the rack 15 above the snail 10.

Stop I 43 on warning lever IOI limits the upward movement of lever I40.

If the hands of the clock are turned counterclockwise, as when setting to correct time, the pin 50 in the minute disc 52 is turned counter clockwise. Pin 50 causes the pivoted extension piece I to turn against the force of its spring I01, its downwardly projecting stop finger IIO moving away from th warning lever I0 I, without moving the warning lever. When the pin 50 passes the tip of the extension piece I05, the extension piece iumps back to its normal position on the warning lever I 0|, under the force of its spring I01, the downwardly projecting finger IIO oi the extension piece I05 bearing against the warning lever IOI.

Therefore, when the hands are set backward, no striking occurs, and the mechanism is not damaged or subjected to undue strains.

The pallet disc 02 is preferably so fixed upon its arbor, in relation to the hammer-actuating wheel 20, that the lever arm 05 will be ascending when the rack hook I0 Jumps upward after engaging the lowest tooth on the rack, raising the rack I! to its position of rest, and that a stroke of the gong 04 precedes a rise of the rack of one tooth, and not vice versa. It a stroke of the gong follows a rise of the rack of one tooth, the rack hook I0 after engaging the lowest tooth of the rack II, would jump upward, raising the rack, which would prevent the further descent of lever arm 00 and thus the final stroke of the gong, and

, however, remains exactly the same as for the form disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages. ,1

What I claim is:

1. In an electric clock driven by an electric motor, a striking mechanism comprising a rack, a rack hook to restrain the movement of said rack, a warning lever intermittently actuated by the driving gearing oi the clock to make said rack hook inoperative and to allow the rack to fall from its position of rest, and to make said rack hook operative again, a snail cam associated with the hour hand of the clock to limit the fall of said rack, a constantly rotating gathering pallet driven from the clock driving gearing to return the rack to its position of rest, a constantly rotating hammer actuating wheel driven from the clock driving gearing, and a hammer shaft having two arms rigidly attached thereto, and rotating therewith, one arm used for contacting the 11ammer actuating wheel during striking, the other arm cooperating with the warning lever and rack to control the time of engagement of the first mentioned arm with the hammer actuating wheel.

2. In an electric clock driven by an electric motor, a strikingmechanism comprising a rack, a rack hook to restrain the movement of said rack, a warning lever intermittently actuated by the driving gearing of the clock to make said rack hook inoperative and to allow the rack to fall from its position of rest, and to make said rack hook operative again, a snail cam associated with the hour hand of the clock to limit the fall of said rack, a constantly rotating gathering pallet member driven from the clock driving gearing to return the rack to its position of rest, a constantly rotating hammer actuating wheel driven from the clock driving gearing, a hammer mechanism, and means including a correcting member movably attached to the warning lever and co-operating with the gathering pallet member to ensure the engagement of the rack hook with the rack at theend of the warning period when said rack is resting upon the snail.

3. In an electric clock driven by an electric motor, a striking mechanism comprising a rack, a rack hook to restrain the movement of said rack, a warning lever intermittently actuated by the driving gearing oi the clock to make said rack hook inoperative and to allow the rack to fall from its position of rest, and to make said rack hook operative again, a snail cam associated with the hour hand of the clock to limit the fall of said, rack, a constantly rotating gathering pallet member driven from the clock driving gearing to return the rack to its position of rest, a constantly rotating hammer actuating wheel driven from the clock driving gearing, a hammer mechanism, said gathering pallet member consisting of a member staked on its arbor driving another member freely rotatable on said arbor by suitable elastic means, the latter member containing the gathering pallet pin, said elastic means preventing arrest of rotation of the gathering pallet pin by the tips of the rack teeth.

ISADOR WARSHAWSKY. 

